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Champions League Team of the Round - Joshua Kimmich, Victor Osimhen, Erling Braut Haaland

sportsmole.co.uk, 16 March 2023, 08:51
Manchester City were the standout team in the Champions League last-16 second legs, with Pep Guardiola's side thumping RB Leipzig 7-0 to progress into the quarter-finals with a 8-1 aggregate success.

There are two Premier League representatives in the final eight, with Chelsea also advancing courtesy of a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the second leg, which handed them a 2-1 aggregate victory.

Tottenham Hotspur were eliminated by AC Milan, with the Italian champions running out 1-0 winners in the tie courtesy of their success in the first leg at San Siro.

Meanwhile, Liverpool's journey in the competition ended on Wednesday when they lost 1-0 to Real Madrid in the second leg of their last-16 tie, with the holders triumphing 6-2 on aggregate.

Bayern Munich are also in the final eight, with the Bundesliga giants winning 1-0 at Paris Saint-Germain before recording a 2-0 victory in the second leg at Allianz Arena.

Benfica were 7-1 aggregate winners over Club Brugge, including a 5-1 second-leg triumph, while Napoli beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0 in their second leg on Wednesday to win 5-0 on aggregate.

Inter Milan complete the lineup, with the Serie A giants beating Porto 1-0 on aggregate, with the two teams drawing their second leg 0-0 on Tuesday night.

Here, Sports Mole selects its standout Champions League XI from the second legs of the last-16 ties in Europe's premier competition.

DEFENCE

Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana gets the nod between the sticks here due to his performance in Tuesday's goalless draw with Porto. The 26-year-old was outstanding in Portugal, making six saves during a dominant display, with his clean sheet helping the Milan giants progress to the final eight.

Chelsea's Reece James features as the right-back following his display against Dortmund at Stamford Bridge, with the England international impressing both defensively and offensively against the German outfit.

On the opposite side, Alphonso Davies is included, with the Canada international arguably the standout player on the field in the second leg of Bayern's clash with PSG. Davies boasted a pass success rate of 84%, while he completed four dribbles and made three tackles during an all-action performance.

Matthijs de Ligt was also outstanding for Bayern in the same match, clearing two efforts off the line, while he was dominant aerially and on the ground against the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi.

The final spot at the back is awarded to Fikayo Tomori for his display at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Milan's clean sheet in London allowed them to advance, and the former Chelsea centre-back made three tackles and finished with a pass success rate of 88% in the impressive performance.

MIDFIELD

Toni Kroos's future at Real Madrid and indeed in professional football is currently in doubt, with the German thought to be considering hanging up his boots at the end of the campaign.

The 33-year-old has not always been at his best this season, but he was spectacular against Liverpool on Wednesday, completing 62 of his 70 passes, in addition to completing two dribbles and making two tackles, with the Reds struggling to get near him for long spells.

Joshua Kimmich is also included, with the midfielder putting in a brilliant display against PSG in Munich. The 28-year-old finished with a pass success rate of 92%, and he contributed both offensively and defensively to what was a very professional performance from the Bundesliga champions.

The third and final spot in midfield is awarded to Kevin De Bruyne, who was back to his best in Man City's stunning 7-0 win over Leipzig. The 31-year-old was on the scoresheet in the final exchanges, but it was his overall performance that impressed the most, with the visitors to Manchester struggling to handle him.

ATTACK

There were three outstanding forwards in the second legs of the last-16 ties, so it was not difficult to include all three. First up is Victor Osimhen, who Napoli will do well to keep this summer due to his brilliant form.

The Nigeria international scored twice in Napoli's 3-0 success over Frankfurt in Naples, with the double taking him onto 23 goals for the campaign, and he could enjoy a famous campaign with the Italian giants.

Goncalo Ramos was also outstanding for Benfica in their 5-1 win over Club Brugge in Portugal, scoring twice and providing an assist in the second leg of the last-16 tie. There is currently a host of speculation surrounding the forward, who would have caught the attention of a number of clubs with his performance.

The final spot in the XI is awarded to Erling Braut Haaland, who scored five goals in Man City's seven-goal success over Leipzig on Tuesday night. The 22-year-old had eight shots and won three aerial duels during a sensational performance, and the Norwegian's name was the first on this particular team sheet.

SPORTS MOLE'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TEAM OF THE ROUND

Sports Mole's Champions League team of the round (4-3-3): Onana; James, De Ligt, Tomori, A Davies; Kimmich, De Bruyne, Kroos; G Ramos, Haaland, Osimhen

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